Enhancing portlet run-time display with dynamically applied portlet skins

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for enhancing the run-time display of a portlet using dynamically applied portlet skins. In this regard, a portlet display enhancement system can include a portlet aggregator configured to aggregate portlet views into a portal page, and alternate skin insertion logic programmed to wrap at least one portlet view with an alternate skin in lieu of a static skin. A portlet filter can be communicatively coupled to the portlet aggregator and configured to manage the alternate skin insertion logic. Alternatively, a servlet can be communicatively coupled to the portlet aggregator and configured to manage the alternate skin insertion logic. The alternate skin can include a debug skin. Moreover, the alternate skin can include an auxiliary control programmed to activate an auxiliary view. In this regard, the auxiliary view can include additional debug information.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Statement of the Technical Field [0002] The present invention relates to the field of portals and portlets and more particularly to rendering the skin of a portlet in a portal environment. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Distributing content about large computer communications networks is not without its challenges. In particular, the quantity of content available for distribution in a computer communications network often varies proportionally to the size of the computer communications network. At the extreme, the Internet hosts a vast quantity of content not easily accessible by most end-users. Portals represent a sensible solution to the problem of aggregating content through a channel paradigm in a single, network-addressable location. In consequence, portals have become the rage in content distribution. [0005] Portlets are the visible active components included as part of portal pages. Similar to the graphical windows paradi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a way to enhance the display of a portlet in a portal environment by using dynamically applied alternate skins. This can be useful for testing the portlet logic, adding additional debugging information, or simply improving the overall user experience. The invention includes a portlet aggregator and alternate skin insertion logic, which can be managed by a portlet filter or a servlet. The alternate skin can include a debug skin for testing and an auxiliary control for activating additional debugging information. The method involves rendering the pre-portlet, portlet, and post-portlet portions of the alternate skin and inserting them into a portal stream for forwarding to a content browser. The technical effects of the invention include improved user experience, improved testing capabilities, and improved debugging capabilities.

Problems solved by technology

Distributing content about large computer communications networks is not without its challenges.

At the extreme, the Internet hosts a vast quantity of content not easily accessible by most end-users.

As information technologists deploy portal technology into the enterprise, information technologists continuously struggle with the dual issues of portlet application development and deployment.

To complicate matters, because a target portal may not operate in the local computing space of the developer, but in a remote computing space, there will be aspects of the portlet testing cycle that can be accomplished only within a remote portal server.

While conventional portal development platforms provide a debug capability for locally deployed portlets, conventional debuggers provide no value add for portlets in the remote debugging scenario.

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